Window regulator driving means for an automobile

ABSTRACT

Improved window regulator driving means for an automobile, comprising, in combination, a casing, a printed motor, epicyclic gearing driven thereby, and an output gear for driving the window regulator, which is characterized by a small size, narrow width and light weight for mounting the same inside a body of a door, and an appreciable reduction ratio for moving a glass sliding door at an adequate speed. The printed motor and epicyclic gearing driven thereby are housed within respective discrete chambers of the casing for filling the gear box with lubricating oil for lubricating the gearing. A removable emergency handle may be annexed for manual operation of the printed motor. The starting torque of the printed motor may be compensated by a joint formed in the output gear having a circumferential clearance therein.

1 1 Apr. 22, 1975 1 WINDOW REGULATOR DRIVING MEANS FOR AN AUTOMOBILE [75] Inventor: Shiuichi Miyake, Tokyo. Japan [73] Assignee: Nihon Radiator Co.. Ltd., Tokyo.

Japan [22] Filed: Mar. 18, I974 [21] Appl. No.: 452,319

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 272.699. July 17.

1972. abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 16. 1971 Japan 46-84414 Sept. 16. 1971 Japan 46-84415 Sept. 18, 1971 Japan 46-85291 [52] U.S. C1. 310/83; 310/154; 310/268 [51] Int. Cl. 02k 7/00 [58] Field of Search 310/83. 268, DIG. 6. 74. 310/154; 74/801; 49/349 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,517 4/1962 Gibbons 310/74 3.422.704 1/1969 Catlett 74/801 3.544.822 12/1970 Pickles 310/83 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.181.165 2/1970 United Kingdom 49/349 Primary Examiner-J. D. Miller Assistant E.\'aminerHarry E. Moose. Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Blum Moscovitz Friedman & Kaplan [57] ABSTRACT Improved window regulator driving means for an automobile, comprising. in combination. a casing, a printed motor, epicyclic gearing driven thereby, and an output gear for driving the window regulator. which is characterized by a small size, narrow width and light weight for mounting the same inside a body of a door, and an appreciable reduction ratio for moving a glass sliding door at an adequate speed. The printed motor and epicyclic gearing driven thereby are housed within respective discrete chambers of the casing for filling the gear box with lubricating oil for lubricating the gearing. A removable emergency handle may be annexed for manual operation of the printed motor. The starting torque of the printed motor may be compensated by a joint formed in the output gear having a circumferential clearance therein.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures WINDOW REGULATOR DRIVING MEANS FOR AN AUTOMOBILE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 272,699, filed July 17, l972, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a window regulator driving means for an automobile, and more particularly, to an oil lubricated driving means therefor.

It is known to employ a glass slide for closing a car window, and such glass slides may be driven from an open to closed window position, for instance, by a regulator remotely controlled from a car dashboard. The window regulator is generally located within panels of a car, for instance, front or rear door panels thereof, and is driven by an electric motor. Therefore, it is most preferred that the electric motor be compact, narrow and light weight. In addition, it is also necessary to reduce the speed of the electric motor in order to fit it to the motion of the sliding glass door.

Accordingly, the instant invention provides an improved window regulator driving means which is compact, narrow, light weight and optimally suited for mounting within door panels of a car. The improved means may, moreover, be remotely controlled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, in accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a window regulator driving means for an automobile, comprising, in combination, a casing, and mounted therein, a printed motor, an epicyclic gearing, and an output gear. The printed motor comprises a printed rotor, a permanent magnet, a brush, a case, and a magnetic permeable plate united thereto. The printed rotor, the permanent magnet and the brush are surrounded by the case and the magnetic permeable plate for thereby forming a discrete magnet chamber. The printed rotor is rotatable in the magnet chamber. The epicyclic gearing is housed within a discrete gear chamber determined by the casing and magnetic permeable plate and comprises a sun gear, a planetary gear, an internal gear, and a planetary gear carrier. The sun gear is united with the printed rotor and in mesh with the planetary gear. The planetary gear has a shaft rotatably supported by the planetary gear carrier and is in mesh with the internal gear united with the magnetic permeable plate. The planetary gear carrier is rotatable about a shaft of the sun gear and united with the output gear adapted to drive the window regulator. As arranged, the discrete gear chamber may be filled with a lubricating oil for lubricating the epicyclic gearing without adversely affecting the operation of the printed motor which is housed in the discrete magnet chamber. By the above construction, the window regulator is driven by the printed motor at a substantially lower speed than the speed of the printed motor. The epicyclic gearing may be cumulatively arranged and it is preferred to employ a double epicyclic gearing.

In accordance with a second aspect of this invention, a manually operable handle is removably connected to the shaft of the sun gear, and may be used in the event it is impossible to open and/or close the window by remote control because of an interruption in the power source, wiring, motor and the like.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the starting torque of the printed motor is compensated. The printed motor, as described above, has a small starting torque because the starting characteristic is similar to the shunt characteristic. When the printed motor is started, a period of 0.02 to 0.08 seconds is required as the rise time, during which the torque is small. The window regulator driving means in accordance with this invention is provided with a means for maintaining the motor non-loaded during the rise time to compensate the starting torque. To this end, the output gear comprises a driver and a follower with a circumferential clearance therebetween.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved window regulator driving means which is sufficiently compact, narrow and light weight for location within the panels of a door of an automobile, and remotely controlled.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved window regulator driving means of the class described, wherein the printed motor and epicyclic are respectively discretely housed for oil lubricating the gearing without interrupting the motor.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved window regulator driving means of the class described, which is provided with an emergency means for manually driving the window regulator.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved window regulator driving means of the class described, wherein the speed of the motor is reduced to coincide to the motion of the glass slide.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved window regulator driving means of the class described, wherein the starting torque of the motor is compensated.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, be apparent from the specification.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a window regulator driving means embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, partly sectioned;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of another embodiment corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged central vertical section of the output gear and relative members; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more particularly to the drawings, the preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described; however, this description will be understood to be illustrative of the invention and not as limiting it to the particular embodiments shown and described. There is provided a case having permanent magnets 12 and brushes 14, carried thereby. A printed rotor 16 having a hub 18 is fixed on and to a rotary shaft 20 rotatably journalled by an oil impregnated bearing 22 fixedly supported by a magnetic permeable plate 24 fixed to a flange of the case 10. Thus, the printed rotor 16, the permanent magnets 12 and the brushes 14 are surrounded by the case 10 and the magnetic permeable plate 24, in chamber 13, for forming a printed motor which is adapted to be energized through lead wires 26 by a suitable source (not shown). It is necessary that the brush be elastically brought into contact with the printed rotor 16. However, it is also required to minimize the size in the axial direction of the printed motor, and therefore, it is preferred to provide a leaf spring having an S-shaped section (not shown) for supporting the brush 14 on the inner surface of the case 10.

The output of the printed motor is reduced by means of a double epicyclic gearing in this embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. A primary sun gear 30 is secured to the rotary shaft 20. An internal gear 32 is secured to the flange of the case 10. Three primary planetary gears 34 are arranged between and in mesh with the primary sun gear 30 and the internal gear 32. These primary planetary gears 34 are mounted on respective pivots 36 carried by a primary planetary gear carrier 38 rotatably mounted on the shaft 20. By the abovementioned primary epicyclic gearing, the primary planetary gear carrier 38 is rotated by the printed motor at a reduced speed.

A secondary sun gear 40 is coaxially united with the primary planetary gear carrier 38 on the rotary shaft 20. Three secondary planetary gears 44 are arranged between and in mesh with the secondary sun gear 40 and the internal gear 32, which is axially elongated so as to be engaged with both the primary planetary gears 34 and the secondary planetary gears 44. These secondary planetary gears 44 are mounted on respective pivots 46 carried by a secondary planetary gear carrier 48 rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft 20. By the abovementioned secondary epicyclic gearing, the secondary planetary gear carrier 48 is rotated by the printed motor at a still reduced speed.

An output gear 50 is coaxially united with the secondary planetary gear carrier 48 on the rotary shaft 20 and in mesh with a segment gear (not shown) of a window regulator so as to drive the latter. A cover 52 is secured to the internal gear 32 so as to form an inside cover for the epicyclic gearing with the epicyclic gearing being housed in a gear box 35 defined by internal gear 32, cover 52, and magnetic permeable plate 24. The output gear is arranged beyond the cover 52 through an opening formed therein and has an axial central hub 54 rotatably journalled by a bearing 56 supported by a spider 58 with the cover 52. An oil seal 59 is provided between the cover 52 and the secondary planetary carrier 48.

As best seen in FIG. 2, chamber 13 and gear box 35 are partitioned, one from the other, by magnetic permeable plate 24. It is an important aspect of the invention that the printed motor and double epicyclic gearing driven thereby are housed within discrete chambers of the casing for filling gear box 35 with lubricating oil for lubricating the gearing. Plate 24 subdivides the intefore, the gearing may be immersed in lubricating oil, while elements of the printed motor are protected therefrom by plate 24. If oil was admitted into chamber 13 wherein the printed motor is housed, it would be scattered through the chamber by the centrifugal action of rotor 16 and the scattered oil would adhere between rotor 16 and brushes 14 and interrupt the connection therebetween, with the result that the motor would be damaged.

In operation, the printed motor is energized by a suitable source controlled by a switch located on the car dashboard so as to rotate the printed rotor 16, rotary shaft 20, and the primary sum gear 30. Since the internal gear 32 is stationary, the primary planetary gears 34 are revolved both round the primary sun gear 30 and on their own axes 36, and therefore, the primary planetary gear carrier 38 is rotated on the rotary shaft 20. Because the primary sun gear 30 is smaller than the primary planetary gear 34 and the latter is smaller than the internal gear 32, the revolution of the primary planetary gear carrier 38 is slower than the rotation of the printed rotor 16.

The revolution of the primary planetary gear carrier 38 is transmitted similarly to the output gear 50 through the intermediary of the secondary epicyclic gearing and, by virtue thereof, further reduced. For example, while the printed motor runs at 3,600 rpm., an output gear 50 may run at about 70 rpm. In this case, the reduction ratio is l/52.

The printed motor combined with the epicyclic gearing reduction mechanism in such manner as above described is compact narrow, and light weight, therefore, it is readily installed within the body panels of a door of an automobile, wherein the output gear 50 is in mesh with a segment gear (not shown) of the window regulator mounted there. Alternatively, the improved window regulator driving means in accordance with this invention may be mounted on the inside surface of the door. In either case, an obstruction is not formed by virtue of its narrowness. By means of the above arrangement, it is possible to elevate a glass slide mounted in a window of an automobile for closing the window by remote control or by energizing the printed motor from the dashboard through the lead wires 26. For opening the window or lowering the glass slide, the printed motor is to be energized in the counter director by means of a change-over switch (not shown).

In accordance with this invention, an emergency handle 60 may be removably connected thereto. If the power source, wiring, motor or the like, breaks down, so that it is impossible to open and close the window by remote control, the manually operable emergency handle 60 may be employed. To this end, the accessible end or the left end, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4, of the rotary shaft 20 is provided with a square terminal 62 exposed through a hold of the case 10. The emergency handle 60 is provided with a square hold matching with the square terminal 62. By bringing the square hold of the handle 60 in engagement with the square terminal 62, the emergency handle 60 is removably united with the rotary shaft 20 so as to rotate the latter manually and open and close the window.

' If the rotary shaft 20 is connected directly with the output gear 50 without the intermediary of the epicyclic gearing, it is impossible to advantageously open and close the window because of an excessively high speed of rotation and shortage in torque. in accordance with this invention, by virtue of the provision of the epicyclic gearing, it is possible to open and close the window at an adequate speed by an output with a sufficiently large torque. The window cannot be pushed down manually directly since it is impossible to rotate the output gear 50 because of the rotation resistance at the bearings and the contact resistance between the brushes 14 and the printed rotor 16, due to the large reduction ratio. Therefore, it is impossible to open the window from outside the car and the window regulator of this invention offers the added advantage of a builtin burglarproof measure. Although the epicyclic gearing is doubled in the above embodiment, it is possible to singularize or multiply the epicyclic gearing in response to such conditions as the speed for opening and closing the window, the size of the printed motor, and the like.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5 and 6, illustrating another embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, the output gear 50 comprises a driver 70 and a follower 72. They are rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft 20. Alternatively, there is provided an elongated bearing 74 which is arranged coaxially with the rotary shaft 20 so as to support the rear end thereof rotatably on the front end of the elongated bearing 74, and supported by the spider 56 united with the cover 52. The driver 70 and the follower 72 are rotatably mounted on the elongated bearing 74. The driver 70 is united with the secondary planetary gear carrier 48. The follower 72 is in mesh with the segment gear of the window regulator so as to drive the latter. There is formed an automatic joint between the driver 70 and the follower 72, for compensating the starting torque of the printed motor. The rear end surface of the driver 70 abuts on the front end surface of the follower 72. There is provided a pair of segmental recesses 76 in the front end surface of the follower 72. The segment is extended circumferentially. There is formed a pair of axial protrusions 78 on the rear end surface of the driver 70 so as to mate with the segmental recesses 76. Upon assembly respectively rotatably on the elongated bearing 74, the protrusion 78 is engaged with the segmental recess 76 with a circumferential clearance C.

In view of the service of the printed motor in the window regulator driving means in accordance with this invention, it is generally understood that the printed motor is rotatable in alternate directions. The rise time for the printed motor of this class may be set at 0.02 to 0.08 second. In accordance with this invention, there is provided a time lag between the start of the driver 70 and the start of the follower 72 correspondingly to the rise time for the printed motor. As exemplified hereinbefore, the printed motor runs, for example, at 3,600 rpm. and the driver 70 runs at about 70 rpm. Hence the driver 70 rotates n times during the rise time of, for example, 0.08 second,

which is converted to 33.48 by being multiplied by 360. This is the circumferential length of the segmental recess 76 of the follower 72, although it is necessary to consider the thickness of the protrusion 78. Practically speaking, a segmental recess 76 of 35 is designed as shown by arrows C in FIG. 6.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A window regulator driving means for an automobile, comprising, in combination, a printed motor, a double epicyclic gearing, an output gear and a housing therefor, said printed motor comprising a printed rotor, at least one permanent magnet, at least one brush, and a magnetic permeable plate, said magnetic permeable plate dividing said housing interior into discrete chambers, said printed rotor, said permanent magnet, and said brush occupying one of said discrete chambers for thereby forming a chamber for said printed motor, said printed rotor being rotatable in said discrete chamber, said double epicyclic gearing occupying another of said discrete chambers, whereby said another discrete chamber may be filled with lubricating oil for lubricating said gearing without interrupting said printed motor which is located within said first discrete chamber, said double epicyclic gearing comprising a primary sun gear, a primary planetary gear, a primary planetary gear carrier, a secondary sun gear, a secondary planetary gear, a secondary planetary gear carrier, and an internal gear, said primary sun gear being connected coaxially with said printed rotor, said primary planetary gear being larger than and in mesh with said primary sun gear and rotatably held on said primary planetary gear carrier, said secondary sun gear being connected coaxially with said primary planetary gear carrier, said secondary planetary gear being larger than and in mesh with said secondary sun gear and rotatably held on said secondary planetary gear carrier, and said internal gear being connected coaxially with said magnetic permeable plate and larger than and in mesh with said primary planetary gear and said secondary gear, and said output gear being adapted to be driven by said secondary planetary gear carrier and to drive said window regulator, whereby said window regulator is driven by said printed motor at a lower speed than a speed at which said printed motor runs.

2. A window regulator driving means for an automobile as claimed in claim 1 including a cover plate connected coaxially to said internal gear and defining therewith and with said magnetic permeable plate an enclosure for said another discrete chamber, which houses said double epicyclic gearing, whereby said another discrete chamber may be filled with lubricating oil for lubricating said gearing without spillage from said driving means housing.

' 3. A window regulator driving means for an automobile as claimed in claim 1 which additionally includes a manually operable emergency handle adapted to be brought removably in engagement with an end of a shaft of said printed rotor, whereby said window regulator may be manually driven.

4. A window regulator driving means for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, in which said output gear circumferentially along an angle of 35 and being adapted for mating with one of a pair of axial protrusions extended from said driver, whereby said follower is started so as to drive said window regulator about 0.08 seconds after said printed motor starts. 

1. A window regulator driving means for an automobile, comprising, in combination, a printed motor, a double epicyclic gearing, an output gear and a housing therefor, said printed motor comprising a printed rotor, at least one permanent magnet, at least one brush, and a magnetic permeable plate, said magnetic permeable plate dividing said housing interior into discrete chambers, said printed rotor, said permanent magnet, and said brush occupying one of said discrete chambers for thereby forming a chamber for said printed motor, said printed rotor being rotatable in said discrete chamber, said double epicyclic gearing occupying another of said discrete chambers, whereby said another discrete chamber may be filled with lubricating oil for lubricating said gearing without interrupting said printed motor which is located within said first discrete chamber, said double epicyclic gearing comprising a primary sun gear, a primary planetary gear, a primary planetary gear carrier, a secondary sun gear, a secondary planetary gear, a secondary planetary gear carrier, and an internal gear, said primary sun gear being connected coaxially with said printed rotor, said primary planetary gear being larger than and in mesh with said primary sun gear and rotatably held on said primary planetary gear carrier, said secondary sun gear being connected coaxially with said primary planetary gear carrier, said secondary planetary gear being larger than and in mesh with said secondary sun gear and rotatably held on said secondary planetary gear carrier, and said internal gear being connected coaxially with said magnetic permeable plate and larger than and in mesh with said primary planetary gear and said secondary gear, and said output gear being adapted to be driven by said secondary planetary gear carrier and to drive said window regulator, whereby said window regulator is driven by said printed motor at a lower speed than a speed at which said printed motor runs.
 1. A window regulator driving means for an automobile, comprising, in combination, a printed motor, a double epicyclic gearing, an output gear and a housing therefor, said printed motor comprising a printed rotor, at least one permanent magnet, at least one brush, and a magnetic permeable plate, said magnetic permeable plate dividing said housing interior into discrete chambers, said printed rotor, said permanent magnet, and said brush occupying one of said discrete chambers for thereby forming a chamber for said printed motor, said printed rotor being rotatable in said discrete chamber, said double epicyclic gearing occupying another of said discrete chambers, whereby said another discrete chamber may be filled with lubricating oil for lubricating said gearing without interrupting said printed motor which is located within said first discrete chamber, said double epicyclic gearing comprising a primary sun gear, a primary planetary gear, a primary planetary gear carrier, a secondary sun gear, a secondary planetary gear, a secondary planetary gear carrier, and an internal gear, said primary sun gear being connected coaxially with said printed rotor, said primary planetary gear being larger than and in mesh with said primary sun gear and rotatably held on said primary planetary gear carrier, said secondary sun gear being connected coaxially with said primary planetary gear carrier, said secondary planetary gear being larger than and in mesh with said secondary sun gear and rotatably held on said secondary planetary gear carrier, and said internal gear being connected coaxially with said magnetic permeable plate and larger than and in mesh with said primary planetary gear and said secondary gear, and said output gear being adapted to be driven by said secondary planetary gear carrier and to drive said window regulator, whereby said window regulator is driven by said printed motor at a lower speed than a speed at which said printed motor runs.
 2. A window regulator driving means for an automobile as claimed in claim 1 including a cover plate connected coaxially to said internal gear and defining therewith and with said magnetic permeable plate an enclosure for said another discrete chamber, which houses said double epicyclic gearing, whereby said another discrete chamber may be filled with lubricating oil for lubricating said gearing without spillage from said driving means housing.
 3. A window regulator driving means for an automobile as claimed in claim 1 which additionally includes a manually operable emergency handle adapted to be brought removably in engagement with an end of a shaft of said printed rotor, whereby said window regulator may be manually driven.
 4. A window regulator driving means for an automobile as claimed in claim 1, in which said output gear comprises a driver and a follower, a circumferential clearance being provided therebetween, whereby a starting torque of said printed motor is compensated. 